John Herdman's influence is felt, but the midfield still leaves gaps.

Bogor - The debut of the New Coach of the Indonesian National Football Team, John Herdman, in the FIFA Series 2026 was the main focus for senior Football analyst, Ronny Pangemanan (Bung Ropan). In the ITSME podcast with hosts Syafira and Raisha, Bung Ropan thoroughly dissected the Match Results against Saint Kitts and Nevis and Bulgaria, which took place at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK), Jakarta.

Optimism and a Strong Foundation
Bung Ropan appreciated the bold statement by John Herdman, who is confident about leading Indonesia to qualify for the 2030 World Cup. According to him, Herdman doesn't speak carelessly; the Canadian coach sees great potential in the existing squad. "The team's foundation was already formed during the STY era and continued by the previous coach. Herdman arrived when 'the food was already served on the table'," said Bung Ropan. He emphasized that the current quality of the National Team is already at the Asian level, proven by their ability to put up a fierce fight when narrowly losing to strong teams like Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Match Analysis: Goal Fest vs Tough Test
Regarding the big win against Saint Kitts and Nevis, Bung Ropan highlighted three players who stole the show: Beckham Putra who scored a brace, Ole Romeny with one goal and two assists, and the sweet debut of Doni Tri Pamungkas. However, the real test came against Bulgaria. Despite the loss, Bung Ropan considered Indonesia's collective play to be very good, hindered only by the finishing touch.

The Return of Elkan Baggott and Defensive Line Competition
One major piece of news was the return of Elkan Baggott after a two-year absence. Bung Ropan revealed that the key to Elkan's return was persuasive communication from John Herdman. Elkan's presence increases competitive pressure in the defensive line alongside Jay Idzes, Rizky Ridho, and Justin Hubner. Bung Ropan also praised the depth of the goalkeeper position, with Indonesia having two European-level players, Emil Audero and Maarten Paes, a luxury not even possessed by other strong Asian teams like Japan.

The Challenge of Creativity in Midfield
Although the defensive line is considered "finished" and very strong, Bung Ropan provided a critical note on the midfield. He felt there is no one yet capable of replacing Thom Haye's role as the tempo setter and attack creator. "We need a leader in the middle who knows when to delay the ball and when to make a quick transition," he explained.

Looking Ahead to the AFF Cup (ASEAN Cup)
Closing the discussion, Bung Ropan predicted the squad for the upcoming AFF Cup. Since the tournament is not part of the FIFA international window, he suggested utilizing quality Liga Super players like David da Silva or Ciro Alves if their Naturalization process is complete. He is optimistic that John Herdman could become the first coach to lead Indonesia to win the AFF Cup with a capable pool of local players.